Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB Avian Flu Service

NHS Midlands and Lancashire CSU is working on behalf of NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB and NHS England. NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board ("ICB") intends to source an Avian Flu service with a service start date on or before 1st January 2023 (to be agreed between the successful provider and the ICB).

The contract duration will be until 31st December 2028. The contract value will not exceed £42,574 per annum and no quotation above this value will be considered as part of this process. Any quotation received above this value will be automatically disqualified from the process without further evaluation of the submission.

The Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB wish to provide screening and pre or post-exposure antiviral prophylaxis to individuals who will be exposed/have been exposed to avian influenza. The service provider will: - Establish a system to mobilise the service urgently that will ensure exposed individuals are commenced on antiviral prophylaxis within 48 hours of notification from the local HPT - Access antiviral medicines from the PHE stock located at Royal Preston Hospital pharmacy - Have facilities to secure the stock of antiviral medicines - Set up appropriate facilities suitable to assess individuals and prescribe prophylaxis in a short time period. This needs to be in an accessible location e.g. at the site of the incident or an appropriate premises nearby. Basic requirement is for a private room, handwashing / toilet facilities and appropriate heating. - Assess the individual against inclusion and exclusion criteria, and provide the appropriate advice as per PGD. Administer prophylactic antivirals (oseltamivir for duration of exposure and 10 days following last known exposure) under the Patient Group Direction (PGD) (Appendix 1). This is a one-time only supply and there is no requirement for further courses unless specified by PHE. The PGD must have the relevant organisational authorisation in order to be legally valid - Ensure supplying nurses/pharmacists obtain and record relevant patient administration details (name, address, date, DOB) and consent - Ensure that the registered GPs of all individuals receiving prophylaxis are notified of attendance and medication received - Keep a record of all individuals who have been assessed and prescribed antiviral medication under this pathway and share this information with the HPT to ensure appropriate follow up - Ensure a system is in place to deliver a regular service to provide antivirals based on need i.e. daily for incoming staff and repeat courses if specified by PHE/IMT

The contract will be for a duration of five (5) years

The purpose of this notice is to request quotations from interest providers. Interested providers are asked to submit a Request for Quotation (RfQ) via Bravo Solutions.

Interested providers are advised to register with MLCSU e-Procurement portal Bravo via the following link: https://mlcsu.bravosolution.co.uk

Additional information: This procurement is for Social and other specific services which are Light Touch Regime services for the purpose of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 as specified in Schedule 3 of the Regulations ('Regulations') http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/102/schedule/3/made. Accordingly, the Contracting Authority is only bound by those parts of the Regulations detailed in Chapter 3 Particular Procurement Regimes Section 7 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/102/part/2/chapter/3/made

The Contracting Authority is not voluntarily following any other part of the Regulations. The procedure which the Contracting Authority is following is set out in the procurement documents.

As the ICB is a relevant body for the purpose of the National Health Service (Procurement, Patient Choice and Competition) (No 2) Regulations 2013 these Regulations also apply to this procurement.

Right to Cancel: The Contracting Authority reserves the right to discontinue the procurement process at any time, which shall include the right not to award a contract or contracts and does not bind itself to accept the lowest tender, or any tender received, and reserves the right to award a contract in part, or to call for new tenders should it consider this necessary.

The Contracting Authority shall not be liable for any costs or expenses incurred by any candidate or tenderer in connection with the completion and return of the information requested in this Contract Notice, or in the completion or submission of any tender, irrespective of the outcome of the competition or if the competition is cancelled or postponed.

All dates, time periods and values specified in this notice are provisional and the Contracting Authority reserves the right to change these.

Transparency: The Contracting Authority is subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR) and may be required to disclose information received in the course of this procurement under FOIA or the EIR.

In addition, and in accordance with the UK Government's policies on transparency, the contracting authority intends to publish procurement documentation and the text of any resulting contractual arrangements, subject to possible redactions at the discretion of the Contracting Authority.

Any redactions, whether in relation to information requests under FOIA, the EIR or policies on transparency will be in accordance with those grounds prescribed under the Freedom of Information Act. If and when this requirement is offered to tender, this will be done via electronic means using the internet. Midlands and Lancashire CSU is conducting this procurement exercise as a central purchasing body for another NHS body with whom the successful bidder(s) will enter into contracts for the supply of the services.

Interested providers are advised to register with MLCSU e-Procurement portal Bravo via the following link: https://mlcsu.bravosolution.co.uk